Seeing 2009 (#38)

Just on the cusp of July, and the local daytime temperatures are only now (and rather suddenly, at that) rising to something worthy of being characterized as summer readings: 95⁰F Saturday, and 94⁰F today. The locals consider these as sweltering conditions; as an Arizonan I'd find the air a bit warm but nothing too discomforting . . . except I've now had twenty-five years to acclimate, rendering me thermally softer than I'd like to admit.

In homage to cool relief, I submit two versions of aquatic action.

The first utilizes a very fast shutter speed (1/2000 sec) in order to emphasize the form of the water mass (drainage from a percolation pond feed pipe).

The second was shot at a relatively slow 1/30th sec in order to convey a sense of immense energy, movement and volume.

Water Abstract #3767

(c)2009 James W. Murray, all rights reserved.

(click image for larger version)

Details: June 21, 2009; Canon 20D; f/7.1 @ 1/2000 sec; -2/3 EV; ISO 400; 55mm.

__________

Water Abstract #3787

(c)2009 James W. Murray, all rights reserved.

(click image for larger version)

Details: June 21, 2009; Canon 20D; f/32 @ 1/30 sec; -2/3 EV; ISO 200; 38mm.

__________

Seeing 2009 (#37)

My family and I went to see movie The Hangover tonight, a pretty ridiculous although quite funny farce. Taking place as it did in Las Vegas, I came home compelled to offer an image from Sin City and this one came to mind . . . Like the film it certainly has no aspirations to high art.

I couldn't pass up the chance at irony when I took this photograph, and after tonight's cinema fare I simply had to dish up some humor by sharing these women's dilemma.

Meat Moment #7579

(c)2009 James W. Murray, all rights reserved.

(click image for larger version)

Details: November 11, 2006; Canon 20D; f/14 @ 1/400 sec; ISO 800; 25mm.

__________

Seeing 2009 (#36)

A post of a post-repast image, being a simple study in form, texture and formal composition.

It turned out well for a hand-held 1/4 second exposure.

Cold Fusion #3713

(c)2009 James W. Murray, all rights reserved.

(click image for larger version)

Details: June 20, 2009; Canon 20D; f/9 @ 1/4 sec; -2 EV; ISO 800; 56mm.

__________

Seeing 2009 (#35)

Finally, the coda to the Father's Day (week) theme . . .

Alternative titles were considered for this entry's photograph: Putting His Right Foot Forward, The Stand-In and Without A Leg To Stand On, among others. This offering aspires to a bit of whimsy, amid some subtle symmetries and irony . . .

The chair stand's incompleteness (suggested by the severed leg) is echoed by an proportionally flawed man (leg: check; body . . . like the chair itself, only implied to be above).

Happy Father's Day, dad, and to all the other fathers out there.

As for my Father's Day: my wife lovingly treated me to an outing in San Francisco . . . the two of us drove up to our hotel early Saturday evening, checked in, then took in quite a bit of the streets' sights as we strolled a fair distance (perhaps 1.5 miles) to one our favorite restaurants for dinner, the Stinking Rose. (We ate there on our very first date.) After the equally long walk back (how did that happen?) a lengthy slumber ensued.

A late awakening, followed by a perfect meal of Eggs Benedict at an Irish Pub (!) just a block from the hotel . . . then the crown jewel of the weekend, being several hours absorbing the amazing art of Ansel Adams photographs, Georgia O'Keefe paintings, and (a brilliant surprise) Robert Frank's series The Americans at SF MoMA.

Father Puts His Foot Down

(c)2009 James W. Murray, all rights reserved.

(click image for larger version)

Details: May 30, 2009; Canon 20D; f/7.1 @ 1/100 sec; -2/3 EV; ISO 800; 66mm.

__________

Seeing 2009 (#34)

Continuing the run-up to Father's Day, 2009 . . .

My father's birthday is May 29th, thus generally on the Memorial Day weekend. Last year my wife Julianna and I visited my parents' home for the holiday/birthday fête. On such occasions my father engages in one of his favorite activities, cooking meat on a charcoal grill . . .

This image, taken well into the dusk of the day, caught him in the midst of relishing a conversation (another of his favorite pastimes) during a momentary pause from tending the fire. His face is filled with interest and enthusiasm for the topic at hand, and is one of my favorite expressions of him.

Taken from the deck above him, this photograph features an unusual perspective, which I find interesting.

James Houston Murray, May 24, 2008

(c)2009 James W. Murray, all rights reserved.

(click image for larger version)

Details: May 24, 2008; Canon 20D; f/5.6 @ 1/80 sec; -1 EV; ISO 400; 85mm.

__________

Seeing 2009 (#33)

Father is featured again . . . perhaps it's because Father's Day approaches.

This image was taken on the streets of downtown Oakland, California; we were passing a storefront bathed in warm, brilliant late afternoon light. The whitewashed walls of the building were monolithic, a large space broken only by the thin slices of a set of faded white blinds hanging in a window.

The monochromatic possibilities of this scene unfolded before me quite quickly; to get the angle I wanted I had to subtly drop off of our walking pace. This allowed me to juxtapose the thin swirling lines of my father's hair against the high ordered symmetry of the shades. I had to point and focus hurriedly, and hoped for the best . . .

I offer this image as a study in contrast to the prior entry's photograph. That effort features a pose deliberately set up to convey power and confidence set against a (subtly) moody sky. While not youthful, a sense of strength and a clear, limitless vision is present.

A much different scene is offered in the current entry: frailty and age emerges from the chaotic stark white hair and heavily sloping shoulders; the dark monolithic form of the jacket suggests the weight of time's passage. The slats in the background mimic prison bars and create a claustrophobic realm of negative space . . . in stark opposition to Entry #32's optimistically heavenward view, here the way ahead seems blind indeed.

(For the record, I'm pleased to report that my father was in jaunty spirits and no where near death's door; rather we were enjoying a lovely time aimlessly exploring, sharing rare time together in anticipation of my brother Eric's wedding the next day.)

James Houston Murray, May 30, 2009

(c)2009 James W. Murray, all rights reserved.

(click image for larger version)

Details: May 30, 2009; Canon 20D; f/11 @ 1/125 sec; -2/3 EV; ISO 100; 85mm.

__________

Seeing 2009 (#32)

My father has unfailingly and frequently been a gracious and willing subject for my camera. Upon reflection I realize that of all those who've crossed my lens' paths, save for perhaps my sister Ami, he's always been the least self-conscious and good humored about risking the photographic capture of his soul.

This photograph is one of several taken at Highland Springs Park in Lake County on a cool, lightly overcast late afternoon March day, one which was far more wintry in nature than spring-like. The emotional atmosphere between my father and I was similarly slightly unsettled at this time. Even so, we did enjoy the excursion and avoided wading into any well-known emotional minefields. One topic which was discussed, however, was that of Death: I'd asked him if he was afraid of dying, to which my father easily and even light-heartedly replied "no." His faith in a good outcome from mortality is likely much stronger than my own . . .

Some of my favorite portraits (by other photographers) have been taken from slightly below the subject; this tends to yield a sense of power. My attempt to utilize this perspective came off better than I'd hoped, conveying my father's confident gaze towards his heavenly reward on that particular day. He is rarely without the adornoment of his gold necklace, which depicts Christ, with His cross surmounted on a ship's helm, as a "fisher of men"; this piece of jewelry nicely supports my father's point of view.

A relatively straight-forward image, I nonetheless toiled and fretted for several hours over the development of this selection. In the raw image the sky is completely blown-out and featureless, a consequence of combined slight overexposure and a virtually amorphous layer of high, light-grey cloud cover. I spent considerable time attempting to utilize a combination of Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop adjustments to produce a fine balance between sky exposure and facial illumination.

James Houston Murray, March 29, 2008

(c)2009 James W. Murray, all rights reserved.

(click image for larger version)

Details: March 29, 2008, Canon 20D; f/9 @ 1/250 sec; ISO 200; 76mm.

__________

Seeing 2009 (#31)

My grandfather was an amateur architect, among other things; perhaps this explains why much of my oeuvre is comprised of images featuring a formality of composition involving angular lines, symmetries, repetitive pattens and the like. (Or, perhaps I was simply born with this particular angle on art.)

Just after Sunday lunch at last weekend's retreat in San Juan Bautista I returned to our room in order to pack up. Somewhat unexpectedly my wife proposed that we take a nap before leaving the grounds and returning to the madness of modern civilization. The siesta was lovely.

Upon awakening I remained on the bed a few moments to take in the peaceful atmosphere of our spare and simple accommodations. While laying there I was struck by the play of muted light on the bathroom door, which was slightly ajar, and the several geometric planes -- ceiling, wall and door juxtaposed among themselves -- which presented a scene both of simplicity and powerful form.

Thus, here is an image which is sustained virtually entirely on the merits of angular arrangements combined with implications of depth derived not from receding perspectives but rather from both seamless and abrupt changes in the play of light on the surfaces. There is an additional aspect of interest from the subtle textures in the ceiling, in contrast to the vast expanses devoid of detail.

I spent several hours playing with several variations of this photograph, including differing orientations, color vs. black & white (there was virtually no color present in the scene), and filter effects. Several of the alternative "realities" had compelling appeal . . . I may post more versions of this image in the coming weeks. This edition actually represents the closest to the original scene in front of me whilst I was emerging from the cobwebs of my nap.

Sunday afternoon in Room 49 #3653

(c)2009 James W. Murray, all rights reserved.

(click image for larger version)

Details: June 7, 2009; Canon 20D; f/5.6 @ 1/80 sec; -1/3 EV; ISO 400; 44mm.

__________

Seeing 2009 (#30)

My wife and I had the grace and immense enjoyment of spending last weekend at the St. Francis Retreat Center (see entries 25 & 26) with a number of other couples, several of whom who are beloved friends. The weather was perfect, the talks enlightening and the overall experience was relaxing and renewing. Julianna and I found our bed to be particularly comfortable, and we indulged in a luxurious 2.5 hour nap before departing on Sunday afternoon.

Throughout the retreat, when not participating in the formal gatherings, I was able to divide my time up nicely between the experiences of warm social interaction, mindful meditation, and of course a bit of devotion to my art.

This image was taken from the Fireside Room's porch (the building featured in entry #25), facing north at 1:30 in the morning. The exposure was 695 seconds, and the scene was illuminated by a combination of natural light from the nearly full moon and (to a much lesser degree) from the chandeliers within the Fireside room's interior. Due to the considerable effect of the bright moon's light washing over the celestial vault the star trails are significantly muted, as there were simply fewer stars bright enough to make their presence known in competition with la Luna.

Oak & Stars, 1:34 a.m., #3381

(c)2009 James W. Murray, all rights reserved.

(click image for larger version)

Details: June 7, 2009; Canon 20D; f/11 @ 11 mins 35 secs; ISO 100; 17mm.

__________

Seeing 2009 (#29)

Excuse the absences - recent days have been incredibly busy; much of the time was wonderfully occupied by the joyous wedding of my brother, Eric, to his bride Sharon.

Amidst the three day nuptial preparations my step-daughter demonstrated considerable sanity and serenity by means of a tw0-hour nap in our hotel room.

The Nap #3381

(c)2009 James W. Murray, all rights reserved.

(click image for larger version)

Details: May 30, 2009; Canon 20D; f/6.3 @ 1/125 sec; -2/3 EV, ISO 800; 85mm.

__________

Seeing 2009 (#28)

Taken at the Mini Gourmet while dining with Jerry B.; Tom contemplates Jerry's fate . . .

Charbroiled at the Diner #2743

(c)2009 James W. Murray, all rights reserved.

(click image for larger version)

Details: April 18, 2009; Canon 20D; f/5.6 @ 1/50 sec; -2/3 EV, ISO 400; 85mm.

__________

Seeing 2009 (#27)

As native of southern Arizona I have a great appreciation of desert scenery. Visitors to my homeland, especially those from verdant locales, often react to their first Sonoran experience with "where are all the trees?" Such quick judgments miss the finer details.

The environment is undeniably harsh in the summer months; the natural inhabitants tend to be fiercely armored for survival . . .

Untitled #3184

(c)2009 James W. Murray, all rights reserved.

(click image for larger version)

Details: May 16, 2009; Canon 20D; f/16 @ 1/50 sec; -2/3 EV, ISO 100; 85mm.

__________

Seeing 2009 (#26)

On the grounds of the St. Francis Retreat Center, San Juan Bautista.

I am fascinated with the concept of fluid dynamics; in even the simplest cases the complexity of ebb & flow is profound. Any particular arrangement of peaks and valleys lasts barely an instant, carved and defined by colliding and competing currents; each minute slice of time spawns a new and unique creation, in turn immediately transformed into an entirely different topography.

One can observe the scene for hours, witnessing an endless parade of utterly distinct canvases beyond count, yet leaving neither able to describe nor recall a single one in its elegant detail.

Chaos Theory #3204

(c)2009 James W. Murray, all rights reserved.

(click image for larger version)

Details: May 16, 2009; Canon 20D; f/16 @ 1/125 sec; -2/3 EV, ISO 400; 85mm.

__________

Seeing 2009 (#25)

Last weekend I attended a men's retreat at the St. Francis Retreat Center, located in the foothills south of San Juan Bautista.

I've been making pilgrimages to this serene locale since 1992, but this is the first time I've had the luxury of a tripod with me. During this visit the temperatures were unusually warm, making for splendid evening chats and star gazing.

This submission is the best of several attempts to capture some star trails. I took this quite late in the wee hours of Sunday morning, about 2.30 a.m., just after the last of my peers turned in, leaving me the grounds to myself.

Before tripping the shutter I turned down the dimmer switches for the interior lights to their lowest possible setting -- they emitted a barely perceptible glow to the naked eye -- my goal was to avoid a completely overwhelmed, over-exposed room due to my planned 10-to-15 minute exposure. The splotchy pattern on the face of the building is due to some recently added exterior accent lights, which were scattered amidst some foliage and trees behind me and cast interesting patterns through branches and leaves.

St. Francis Retreat Center, Fireside Room Porch

(c)2009 James W. Murray, all rights reserved.

(click image for larger version)

Details: May 17, 2009; Canon 20D; f/9 @ 799 secs; ISO 400; 17mm.

__________

Seeing 2009 (#24)

Met my brother Eric in San Francisco for dinner last night (a very rare treat), and to pick up my suit for his wedding (an even rarer event . . . thankfully!). He knows the city well, so afterward he agreed to take me to a view so that I might take a few images of the skyline. Our first destination was a lookout somewhere in the Castro district; before we were halfway up the climb it was clear that it would NOT be clear . . . socked-in is a better way to describe it. It was getting late, so we surrendered easily: no artistic moments this evening.

Ahh, but then we began our crossing of the Bay Bridge en route to his house in Oakland . . . and a truly spectacular scene presented itself. So: a quick exit, onto Treasure Island, and despite extremely gusty, very chilly winds (which presented real challenges with respect to vibrations in the tripod) at least one photograph is presentable. As is always the case, this image is but a hint of how truly amazing it was to stand there taking in the breath-takng tableau.

San Francisco from Treasure Island (#3118)

(c)2009 James W. Murray, all rights reserved.

(click image for larger version)

Details: May 14, 2009; Canon 20D; f/5.6 @ 4 sec; ISO 200; 68mm.

__________

Seeing 2009 (#23)

Long ago, on a foggy winter afternoon at a rest stop just south of San Francisco, I stopped to stretch my legs and discovered a rather severe (or so it seemed to me) statue of Father Serra. This was long before digital cameras existed; I likely used my Minolta XE-7 to take the b&w 35mm image that day. I lay completely on my back, looking directly up at the priest looming overhead, arm outstretched with that j'accuse finger . . . The sky was dark and roiling with a mix of fog and clouds, and I was quite pleased with the turbulent mood I captured that day.

Fast forward at least 15 or years and we ge to today's submission . . . I finally revisited Father, about two years ago. This time around the weather was perfect by most standards -- yet the lack of fog at least sharply mitigated by desire to replicate the ominous atmospherics of my original 35mm negative. Nor, due to a fence, could I still cozy right up to Father's skirt before taking my photo . . .

Even so, here's my semi-modern update on the scene. (By the way: preliminary attempts to upload this particular image are yielding extremely poor quality pseudo-thumbnail images . . . there are significant and unacceptably pronouced artifacts in in the sky. Perhaps the one you see posted here after I write this will be okay . . . if not expect me to pull this from my blog until I can figure out what is going wrong . . .

My apologies: image pulled until I can determine why this particular upload was of such poor quality.

(c)2009 James W. Murray, all rights reserved.

(click image for larger version)

Details: August 25, 2008; Canon 20D; f/10 @ 1/200 sec; ISO 100; 24mm.

__________

Seeing 2009 (#22)

Sunday, Mother's Day, brought with it an unexpected development: a family friend's daughter went into labor, in advance of giving birth to her first child. Thus my wife and I trekked "over the Hill" to Dominican Hospital, in Soquel, CA, to be on hand for the miracle of another being's entrance onto this mortal coil.

As it happened I had left my primary camera in my office, so I grabbed my original digital camera, a Canon G2 4-megapixel viewfinder model. Despite the primary limitation of producing unacceptably noisy results above an ISO of 50 (!), I've taken some remarkably sharp and fine images with this instrument.

The mommy-to-be did not make much progress during our several hour visit, so I excused myself to the chapel, which I had utterly to myself for the entirety of the sixty minutes or so I spent there. During that time I indulged in a 30-minute silent meditation sitting, in between also taking a number of interior images of the space. Below is one of the better results.

I've long been admired and enjoyed religious art and temples of all kinds, whether Christian, Hindu, Muslim or Buddhist . . . in this perpsective the stark, concrete space seemed to me a perfect symbol of the hell in which we all too often encase ourselves while visiting this planet, with the stark blue holding a promise of freedom by means of transcending self-imposed prisons.

The Here and Hereafter (Chapel #8968)

(c)2009 James W. Murray, all rights reserved.

(click image for larger version)

Details: May 10, 2009; Canon G2; f/2.2 @ 1/30 sec; ISO 50; 7mm.

__________

Seeing 2009 (#21)

Today's submission is another example of what could be regarded as either a case of a "fading star" hanging on well past its prime . . . or perhaps a determined, defiant survivor from seasons past. Either way, I find some whimsical elements here as the leaf seems to be blithely waving at the camera, perhaps even dancing a hula. Fitting, as aloha is used in both greetings and farewells, congruent with the ambiguity here.

Waving Star Leaf #1359

(c)2009 James W. Murray, all rights reserved.

(click image for larger version)

Details: October 31, 2008; Canon 20D; f/5.6 @ 1/60 sec; ISO 400; 85mm.

__________

Seeing 2009 (#20)

As with the prior submission, taken during the same surprisingly rewarding extemporaneous stroll through the courtyard where I live, on an overcast late fall morning.

I've mulled over this image many times (and another of the same subject, taken from a slightly different perspective), with conflicting feelings . . . Neither of the two shots is truly satisfying in their native as-taken formats -- frustratingly, each has strong elements which if were present in its sibling would yield exactly what I was seeking to create in a single shot.

Here I settled out on the "better" baseline, then decided to experiment with some rather more radical surgery and cosmetic alterations than is my norm: considerable cropping nicely strengthened the composition and energy, and application of some new plug-in filters, adjusting brightness and sharpness, at last yielded an effort worth posting.

This photograph represents an example of what seems to be a newly emerging theme in what catches my attention of late, that being a triad of Survival, Perseverance, and Endurance. The main subject is clear not so much because one's eyes are directed to it by the arc and flow of organic geometry, but stems instead from its stark example of dying - yet still holding out - amidst flourishing life.

The image also illustrates a type of composition which never ceases to surprise and delight me, wherein the main subject is revealed not by spacial dominance but instead by means of irony and contrast focused in a minimal amount of canvas space.

Cascade #1359

(c)2009 James W. Murray, all rights reserved.

(click image for larger version)

Details: October 31, 2008; Canon 20D; f/9 @ 1/60 sec; -1/3 EV; ISO 400; 85mm.

__________

Seeing 2009 (#19)

Yes, it is quite late (or, early); got up at 1.00am with excess energy.

For the past two days I've had the urge to grab my camera when leaving for work in the morning. Both times I talked myself out of it, and twice I've regretted these lazy decisions, especially today: some fascinating mists emanated from City Hall's fountains during my lunch time stroll.

This entry is from a spontaneous meandering through my condominium complex on a deeply overcast, wintry day last October. Simple, with deliberately shallow depth of field in order to both minimize background distractions and to accentuate the sense of floating.

A reminder of life's grace and vibrancy even when the atmosphere is stormy and foreboding.

Rose #1341

(c)2009 James W. Murray, all rights reserved.

(click image for larger version)

Details: October 31, 2008; Canon 20D; f/6.3 @ 1/200 sec; -2/3 EV; ISO 400; 72mm.

__________